Ignition system for internal-combustion engines.



W C. BRINTON. JR.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1916.

1,292,241; Patented Jan. 21,1919.

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Jirmwmwa W. C. BRINTON, JII. IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7. 1916- Patented Jan. 21,'1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. BRINTON, JR., OF KENNE'IT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOPHILIPS-BRINTON COMPANY, OF KENNETT SQUARE, IENNSYLVANIA, A CORPO-RATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 86,236, filed March 23,1916. This application filed November 7, 1916. Serial No. 129,933.

To all whom z'tmay concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. BRINTON, J r.,a citizen of the United States, residin at Kennett Square, county ofChester, an State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Ignition Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

The objects of my invention are: first, to provide, for internalcombustion engines in which the charge in each cylinder is ignited by aplurality of sparks, an ignition system which will insure the absolutelysimultaneous production of the sparks, thereby insuring the most perfectignition of the entire charging mixture; and secondly, to control theignition by means of a vibrator so constructed as to insure thepreservation of proper contact surfaces on the fixed and movablecontacts of the vibrator, this construction of the vibrator alsopossessing utility where each of the engine cylinders is provided withbut a single spark plug.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a diagram of the ignition systom, thevibrator and part of the switch apparatus bein shown in plan. Fig. 2 isa face View of the movable member of one switch. Fig. 3 is an elevation,partly in section, of the switch apparatus. Fig. 4 is an inverted planview, partly in section, of the upper members of the ,switch apparatus.Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the distributer.

A source of current supply as, which may be assumed to be a storagebattery, is groundedat one side While its other side is connected withthe two primary coils, y, 3 corresponding to the two spark plugs w ofeachengine cylinder A. The coils I ,3 are arranged in series, thecurrent passlngthrough them to a binding post a mounted on the base B,which forms a closure for both the main switch apparatus and the switchapparatus for reversing the polarity of the circuit and for closing thecircuit through either the main system (the contact maker andinterrupter C) or through the auxiliary or high frequency system (thevibrator D), as hereinafter described.

The main switch Eturns on a binding post I) centrally mounted on thebase B and is adapted to connect with either a binding post. 0(electrically connected through the contact maker and interrupter toground) or a post (1. By shifting the switch E to connect with post (Zthe primary circuit is opened. Posts 0 and (l are mounted on the base B.

The base B also carries a binding post 6 (which is connected with thebinding post a through a. plug switch G), a binding post f, which leadsto ground, a contact 9 connected to binding post 6, a contact itconnected with binding post 6, and four other contacts 1, 2. 3 and 4.Contact 1 is connected with binding post 0, contacts 2 and 3 withopposite poles of the vibrator D, and contact 4 with binding post 7'.

The base B is stationary. Mounted to turn on the cover plate B of thebase is the movable member of the polarity reversing switch F. Thismember comprises a rotatable hub and disk of insulating material,carrying an annular bridge piece 1' of conducting material, which, atfour points, is shaped to form contacts 2'', of which either oppositetwo are adapted to engage contacts 9 and h on the base (I. Also carriedon said disk are two parallel strips or bridge pieces 5, 6, ofconducting material. which are adapted to connect contacts 1, 2, 3 and'4 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Assume that the circuit is closed from the battery m through the primarycoils 3 to the binding post a, that the switch G is closed, that themain switch E connects binding posts I) and c, and the rotatable memberof the switch F is in such position that strip 5 connects contacts 1 and2 and strip 6 connects contacts 3 and 4. The current now passes frombinding post (2 to contact 1, thence through strip 5 to contact 2,thence through the vibrator D to contact 3, thence through strip 6 tocontact 4, and thence to binding post .7 andground. The circuit at thistime is not closed through the contact maker and interrupter because notwo opposite contacts i are in position to engage contacts 9 and h. v

If the rotatable member of the switch F is given a one-eighth turn, thestrips and contacts i engage respectively the contacts g and It.Thereupon the current coming to binding post 0 passes to contact g,thence through plate'i to contact h, thence to binding post I), throughswitch E, to binding post.

0 and contact maker and interrupter C to ground.

If-the rotatable member of the switch F is given another one-eighthturn, the contacts i are again moved out of connection with contacts 9and It (thus opening the cirouit through the contact maker andmterrupter) and strip 6 connects contacts 2 and 4, while strip 5connects contacts 1 and 3. The current passing to binding post a nowpasses through contact 1, strip 5 and contact 3, thence through thevibrator, 1n the reverse direction from that hereinbefore described,thence through contact 2, strip 6, contact 4 and binding post f toground.

The switch F can be turned only in one direction owing to the engagementof a ratchet m on the hub of its rotatable member with a spring arm m,as shown in Fig. 4. This construction also operates'to stop and hold theswitch at the exact posltion to which it is turned. Hence, wheneverswitch F is moved intoposition to closethe circult through the vibrator,it causes the current to flow therethrough in the directlon opposite toits flow during the last preceding closure of the circuit through thevibrator.

The contacts 1, 2, 3, 4,. g and h are plungers pressed upward by springsn, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby insuring the establishment andmaintenance of proper elec trical connection between these contacts andthe bridge pieces carried by the rotatable member ofthe switch F.

The main switch E comprises a hub 0 turnable in a boss 0 and carrying ahandle 0 and an arm 0 The boss 0 is cut away to limit the movement ofthe arm 0 in opposite directions. The arm 0 carries a spring pressedplunger 39 havlng a convexly rounded end adapted to settle into aconcave depression-in the contact 0 when the switch arm is turned to theleft, Fig. 1. The hub 0 is cut away to receive the bent-in portion of ,aplate I], which connects with the contact b. A leaf spring p is securedat one end to the plate 9 and at the other end'contacts with the lowerface of the hub 0.- \Vhen the switch is in its closed position, thecurrent travels from contact I) through plate I], spring 7), arm 0 andplunger p to contact a.

The vibrator D may be of any approved construction. Thus, it maycomprise a binding post 1', a core-r, a winding 1' an armature r and acondenser 0".

On, or actuated by, the regular cam shaft 8 of the engine is a cam swhich intermittently actuates the contact maker and interrupter C,causing it to intermittently contact with a binding post 8 therebyintermittently closing the primary curc-uit from binding post 0 throughbinding post 8 and contact maker and interrupter C to ground 8 is acondenser in the condenser circuit 8* The contact maker and interrupterB may be of any approved construction, examples of which may be found inthe patents issued to me February 23, 1915, No. 1,129,445 and No.1,129,446, in a patent issued to me July 24, 1917, No. 1,234,275 and ina patent issued to William H. Brown and myself jointly July 24, 1917,No. 1,234,278.

The two primary coils y energize respectively the coils 2 of twosecondary circuits.

In each secondary circuit is a distributer H, one for each spark-plug ofeach cylinder. Each distributer is shown provided with six terminals andtherefore adapted for use with a six cylinder engine. It will beunderstood that corresponding terminalsof the two distributers areconnected respectively to the two spark plugs of the engine cylinder.The distributers, which are on, or actuated by, the regular cam shaft s,need not be of any specific construction, but it is preferred, forreasons set out in. my Patent No. 1,227,109, issued May 22, 1917, toemploy distributers of the construction. set forth therein. The mainelements of such a distributer are shown in Fig. 5, the same comprisinga holder or cap t, a head 6' with- .in the cam and rotatable with thecam shaft 8, a central common terminal binding post it, binding posts ucarried by the cap and electrically connected with" the several sparkplugs, and a distributer plate 4; carried by the rotatable head t Instarting the engine, the switch F is moved to throw the vibrator D intocircuit, and'the switch E is moved into circuitclosing position; Thecircuit will pass through the vibrator until the switch F is given a oneeighth turn to open the circuit through the vibrator and close thecircuit throughthe contact maker and interrupter C, which thereafter isrelied upon to continue the engine in operation.

However, it will be understood that the engine maybe run on the contactmaker and interrupter alone, or on the vibrator alone. So far asconcerns'the accomplishment of the object of creating a plurality ofsimultaneous'sparks, the invention will be operative with either one orthe other, or both as described, and even though no provision is madefor reversing the polarity of the vibrator. On the other hand, thecontact maker and interrupter and the vibrator, either or both, willwork equally well where but a single spark plug is employed in eachengine cylinder, in which case there will be of course but one set ofprimary and secondary coils and one distributer. I do not herein makeany claim concerning the combination of the vibrator, with or withoutthe polarity reversing means, and the contact maker and interrupter, asthe same forms the subject-matter of other patents, namely: No.1,227,109 and No. 1,227 ,110, both issued May 22, 1917.

It will be understood that'where I claim a plurality of spark plugs ineach cylinder, I do not mean to be confined to two, it being obvious.that theconstruction is readily adaptable to any number of spark plugsby providing a corresponding number of primary coils, and acorresponding number of secondary coils, secondary circuits anddistributors.

It may be'stated that the main switch E is adapted more particularly foruse where the contacts 0 and (Z are connected to different electricalcircuits and where the intermediate position is the olf position, as inmy said Patent No. 1,227,110, and while the switch E herein shown isoperative with the specific arrangement herein set forth, it will beunderstood that any ordinary switch may be substituted.

So far as'concerns the construction herein shown and described forreversing the polarity ofthe circuit in the vibrator, this applicationis division of my said Patent No. 1,227 ,110.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Lettors Patent is 1. An ignition system for internalcombustion engines comprising an engine cylinder, a plurality-ofignition devices therein,

a primary electric circuit, means to inter-.

der, a plurality of ignition devices therein,

a primary electric circuit, means to interrupt the current in theprimary circult. terminals connected with the respective ignitiondevices in the cylinder, circuit closing members one in operativerelation with one ignition device terminal and another in operativerelation'with another ignition device terminal, other terminalsconnected with the respective clrcult closing members,

and means actuated by the interruption of the primary circuit to inducea flow of secondary current simultaneously through the last namedterminals respectively and their corresponding circuit closing-membersand ignition devices.

3. An ignition system for internal combustion engines comprising anengine cylinder, a plurality of ignition devices therein, a primaryelectric circuit, means to interrupt the current in the primary circuit,a' plurality of secondary circuits, means actus ated by the interruptionof the primary circuit to induce a low of current simultaneously throughthe several secondary circuits, and independent distributers in'therespective secondary circuits corresponding to and electricall connectedwith the respective ignition evices, each .distributer comprising acircuit closing member adapted to 85 always close the same secondarycircuit through the same ignition device of said cylinder.

4. An ignition system for internal combustion engines comprising aplurality of engine cylinders and a plurality of ignition devices ineach cylinder, a primary electric circuit, a plurality of secondarycircuits, means actuated by the. interruption of the primary circuit toinduce a flow of secondary current simultaneously through the severalsecondary' circuits, a plurality of series of terminals, the number ofsaid series corresponding to the number of ignition devices in acylinder and a number of terminals in a series corresponding to thenumber of cylnders, the terminals of each series being respectivelyconnected to ignition devices in as many different cylinders, andindependent distributers, one for each secondary 108 circuit and eachseries of terminals, each distributer adapted to successively close thecircuit through only the terminals of its own series.

5. An ignition system for internal combustion engines, comprising anengine cylinder, a plurality of ignition devices therein,

a primary electric circuit, a secondary electric circuit, means tointerrupt the current in the primary circuit, a plurality ofdistributers. and means actuated by the interruption of the primarycircuit to induce a flow of secondary current simultaneously through theseveral distributers, the said means including cooperatingprimary andsecondary coils so wound as to effect a flow of secondary circuit of thesame polarity simultaneously through the several distributers.

6. In an ignition system for internal comhustion engines, incombination, a primary circuit. a secondary circuit in operativecorrelation with the primary circuit. a distributer in the secondarycircuit. a shaft adapted to operate the distributer. a vibrator in thesition to close the circuit between the first 10 and third contacts andthe second and fourth contacts, whereby the circuit may be closedthrough the vibrator in opposite directions.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand. atPhiladelphia, Pa., 15

on this 13th day of October, 1916.

VILLIAM C. BRINTOX, JR.

